1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to improvements in racquets for use in several sports, but is particularly directed toward providing an improved gripping area for a tennis racquet handle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
By way of background, of all the racquet sports, tennis is unique in its ball speed (pace) and the great deal of court coverage required by the players. Players must hit many balls, often on the run or after traveling great distances. For expert play, it is essential that during these maneuvers the player have a superb sense or awareness of the location and attitude (angular disposition) of the racquet head with respect to the player's hand. Sometimes the ball must be struck when it has little or no speed. At other times, the racquet will encounter high impact forces because of the pace with which the opponent has struck the ball. Additionally, the player must return tennis balls with various spins. The player is oftentimes required to change grips for each stroke.
Applicant has received U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,492,324, 5,671,926, 5,924,941, 5,931,749, 6,017,283, 6,106,418 and 6,213,902 in connection with his work in racquet handle design. The entire contents of each of these patents is incorporated herein by this reference. The referenced patents disclose racquet handles having various contours that can help position a player's hand and improve racquet control during forehand and backhand strokes. Applicant's contour designs accommodate a variety of grips without the loss of power or racquet head awareness. In some instances, an improper grip is assumed because of a lack of skill or because of the difficult circumstances encountered during a grip change. The patented racquet handle contours permit a considerable array of grips and at the same time aid the user in reaching a desired grip.
The present invention represents a continuation applicant's previous racquet handle design work. In particular, applicant has developed additional racquet handle constructions that allow a handle contour to be easily mounted on a conventional stringed racquet, especially a tennis racquet, and adjusted as necessary to suit individual player preferences.